Absolute Fencing and Decking is a professional and popular fencing and decking company covering Plymouth and the South West. The team, headed by John Partridge, is committed to delivering exceptional results and service, and consequently enjoys a huge amount of recommendations and positive reviews. Absolute Fencing and Decking works on a large variety of private and commercial jobs, including repairs at holiday parks, hot tubs, tree-top decks and garden fences, and is soon expanding its commercial offering. We caught up with John to find out more about the business and its apprentices.
“I’ve hired apprentices now for 3 years and have found they add huge value to the company. At Absolute Fencing and Decking, we work to the “one hand” ethos; the idea that we shouldn’t be able to distinguish between each other’s work, as it is all to the same high standard. Our company is one of the most highly reviewed in its field on Facebook, thanks to our exceptional customer service and delivery and therefore our apprentices are expected to work hard to maintain the company reputation. In return, they receive one on one training from experts and become very skilled in their craft. Our apprentices can now produce work that is sometimes better than someone who has been in the carpentry profession for years!
“Everyone who joins our company are treated as equal players, with no hierarchy, as I believe that in a business ‘team’ is everything. We train our apprentices to the level that they could leave and easily find other work – but we treat them well enough that they don’t want to! We also pay them significantly more than the apprenticeship wage, as their talent for their craft deserves rewarding.
“One of the benefits of hiring an apprentice is that they are often young and malleable; you can train them to fit in with your working practices and help them develop skills that will enhance your business. I’m very pleased with Harry and Ethan, our current apprentices – they are great workers, reliable and are a big part of the team.
“My advice to other businesses thinking of hiring an apprentice would be to get them to take a personality test such as on Belbin.com; this will reveal what type of person they are, and can give you an insight into whether they’d fit in with the company and job role. Also look out for someone who has initiative and, importantly, a willingness to learn.
“My relationship with Skills Group is good, and I appreciate that apprentices can start their programmes at any time of the year; this means you are not tied into hiring someone at the start of an academic term.
“We hope to continue to hire apprentices in the future”.